What do some of the world’s most successful business leaders have in common besides extraordinary success? They are all voracious readers.
While business leaders often share insights on strategy, innovation, and leadership, many also point to books as some of their most influential teachers. Interestingly, many of the books that shaped these leaders are not traditional business titles. Some are novels. Others are philosophical classics, memoirs, or works on creativity.
Yet each offers lessons that extend far beyond its subject matter, touching on decision-making, resilience, innovation, leadership, culture, and long-term thinking.
The summer months offer an opportunity to step away from day-to-day demands and gain fresh perspective. These seven books offer valuable lessons drawn from the reading lists of some of the world’s most influential business leaders.
1: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Recommended by: Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX
Musk has described reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy during his teenage years as a formative experience while he was trying to make sense of life, meaning, and complexity. He notes that this book offered a constructive way of thinking about big, existential questions. In particular, he highlights the idea that “the question is often harder than the answer,” and that better framing of problems leads to better understanding of reality.
Takeaways for readers:
Success is often less about finding the “right answer” and more about defining the right question.
Whether evaluating AI initiatives, entering new markets, refining customer strategies, or responding to industry change, leaders who frame problems effectively make better decisions, avoid wasted effort, and unlock clearer paths to growth.
2: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Recommended by: Jeff Bezos, founder, executive chairman, and former CEO of Amazon
Bezos referred to the book as his longtime favorite novel, writing that it “teaches pain of regret so well you will think you lived it.”
This winner of the Nobel Prize in literature is about a butler who reflects on decades of loyal service and gradually confronts difficult questions about the choices he made, the opportunities he missed, and whether he dedicated his life to the right causes. Its themes include duty, leadership, loyalty, self-deception, and regret.
Takeaways for readers:
One of the most costly business mistakes is realizing too late that an organization has been pursuing the wrong priorities. The novel reminds readers that dedication and hard work alone are not enough. It’s essential for leaders to regularly examine whether their efforts align with the right goals, values, and long-term vision.
In business, regret often stems not from failure, but from failing to challenge deeply held assumptions before the circumstances force change.
3: The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham
Recommended by: Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and one of the most successful investors of all time.
Buffett has repeatedly credited The Intelligent Investor as one of the most influential books he has ever read. He described buying the book as one of the best investments he ever made, praising Benjamin Graham’s ability to explain complex ideas through clear, logical, and accessible thinking rather than complicated formulas.
While the book is known as an investing classic, it also teaches readers how to make rational decisions, avoid emotional reactions, and focus on long-term value rather than short-term market noise.
Takeaways for readers:
Readers will learn far beyond investing. Business leaders are constantly exposed to fluctuations: market trends, algorithm changes, competitor activity, economic uncertainty, and quarterly performance swings. The book encourages disciplined, long-term thinking rather than reactive decision-making. In business, the greatest returns come not from making more decisions, but from making better decisions.
Its core lesson remains highly relevant for today’s leaders: sustainable success often comes from maintaining rational judgment when others are driven by emotion, fear, or short-term distractions.
4: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight
Recommended by: Tim Cook, CEO of Apple
Cook has described Shoe Dog as more than a business book, noting it is ultimately a book about life.
Knight recounts the journey of building Nike from a small shoe-importing venture into one of the world’s most recognized brands. He shares the uncertainty, financial struggles, near-failures, fierce competition, and personal sacrifices that shaped Nike’s early years. The result is a deep and honest look at entrepreneurship, leadership, and perseverance.
Takeaways for readers:
Behind every successful company is almost always a long period of uncertainty that rarely makes it into headlines. The book reminds leaders that building a business, a brand, or a marketing function is often a messy, nonlinear process filled with setbacks and difficult decisions.
Sustainable growth rarely happens overnight. It is built through persistence, adaptability, and the willingness to keep moving forward when outcomes are far from certain.
5: Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Recommended by: Jack Ma, co-founder of Alibaba Group
According to biographer Chen Wei, author of Jack Ma’s authorized biography, Ma always carries a copy of the Tao Te Ching with him.
The book explores balance, humility, leadership, adaptability, and living in harmony with the natural flow of events. While it is often viewed as a spiritual classic, its lessons on self-awareness and decision-making have resonated with generations of business leaders.
The English translation by Stephen Mitchell makes it even more accessible to global readers.
Takeaways for readers:
Effective leadership is not always about doing more. The Tao Te Ching concept encourages leaders to focus on what truly matters, remove unnecessary complexity, and create conditions where teams can thrive without excessive control.
Sometimes the most effective leadership action is creating an environment where great outcomes emerge naturally rather than attempting to control every variable.
6: Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull
Recommended by: Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Meta
When Zuckerberg launched a public book club, he selected Creativity, Inc. as one of his recommended reads. The book offers a behind-the-scenes look at how Pixar Animation Studios built a culture that produced groundbreaking films such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Inside Out.
More than a book about creativity, it explores leadership, teamwork, communication, and how organizations can create environments where innovation thrives.
Takeaways for readers:
Many organizations say they value innovation, but their processes often discourage experimentation and risk-taking. The book argues that great ideas are rarely perfect at the start. What matters is building teams and cultures capable of improving them.
For B2B leaders, the book offers valuable lessons on fostering psychological safety, encouraging honest feedback, breaking down organizational silos, and empowering teams to challenge assumptions.
7: The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Recommended by: Oprah Winfrey, CEO of Harpo Productions and The Oprah Winfrey Network
Winfrey selected The Covenant of Water as the 101st pick for her book club, calling it one of the best books she’s ever read.
The novel talks about how individual lives are shaped by forces that unfold over generations.
Takeaway for readers:
In business, it is easy to focus on quarterly targets, immediate challenges, and short-term results. The book offers a reminder that lasting impact is often measured across years, or even generations.
It encourages leaders to think beyond immediate results and focus on building organizations, cultures, brands, and relationships that endure over time.
For Leaders Who Think Bigger
These recommendations reveal that the books that shape great leaders are not always books about business or money. Some teach the importance of resilience, creativity, long-term thinking, or the human side of leadership.
What they share is the ability to challenge assumptions, expand perspective, and encourage deeper thinking. These qualities are essential for effective leadership in any industry.
Whether leading an organization, managing a team, growing a business, or planning the next strategic initiative, these books offer lessons for leaders that extend far beyond their pages.
